Pendleton 2026: We have an updated list. Who’s Running for What and Who Has Just Switched Teams to Get There

As filings stack up for the 2026 elections, one thing’s obvious: Pendleton’s ballots are redder than ever, at least on paper. But if you’re paying attention, the real story isn’t just who’s running. It’s why they’re running red, and who wasn’t red until it became convenient.

Let’s break it down.

Where Are the Democrats?

Short answer?

They’re right here, running as Republicans.

Pendleton’s political map is so deeply red that running as a Democrat is an automatic loss before the first vote’s cast. So instead of challenging that trend, a growing number of long-time Democrats are simply changing parties to get elected. It’s not ideology, it’s strategy. It’s camouflage. And voters have every right to know the difference.

In upcoming Whisper breakdowns, we’ll be digging into prior affiliations, donation records, campaign history, and voting behavior to expose who really stands where, regardless of the letter they filed under.

County Judge / Executive

This race is loaded with four Republican candidates:

Sebastian Ernst
Rick Mineer (currently Magistrate, District 4)
Anthony Strong
James Poynter

County Clerk

Kinley Glahn Scott
Alan Whaley

County Attorney

Stacey S. Sanning

Property Valuation Administrator

John E. Steele is on the ballot.

Sheriff

Jared M. Brewer
Kenneth Bruce Hall

Jailer

Tony Gillispie

Coroner

Jonathon Neal Peoples

County Surveyor

Derrick Daily

Magistrates

1st District

Mark Jay Hargett
Taylor N. Scott
Charles William Peoples
John Jay Yelton

2nd District

Brandon G. Gregg
Joshua Keith Plummer

3rd District

Ben W. Wolfe
Darrin W. Gregg

4th District

Steven D. Foster
Jeff Aulick
Shawn Moore

Constables

Scott Edgley
Louis S. McCord
Michael R. Fleharty
Gregory A. Littleton (1st District)

Mayor

George A. Smith

We’ll be watching this one carefully, especially given the city’s ongoing budget and transparency issues.

What It All Means

So far, 27 candidates have filed, all Republican. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find a different reality: some of these names were blue before they were red. They’re not running on conservative values, they’re running on the assumption that you won’t notice the switch.

But we noticed.

And as the cycle unfolds, The Falmouth Whisper will be doing what no one else is, mapping affiliations, tracking reversals, and calling out the quiet conversions. Because voters deserve more than a party label. They deserve honesty.

This is your town. These are your candidates.

And this time, we’re not letting anyone slip through the cracks.

Whisper One Out